


An Inconsequential Morning

by SophisticBuggery



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Galdin Quay (Final Fantasy XV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-09-06 05:49:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20286430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SophisticBuggery/pseuds/SophisticBuggery
Summary: Ardyn waits for the Chocobros to arrive at Galdin Quay, reflecting on the Lucis-Niflheim War and the island of Angelgard where he was a prisoner for two millennia.





	An Inconsequential Morning

Ardyn sat at his table in the pier restaurant, sipping from a mug of Ebony. _ The perks of being chancellor _ , he thought amusedly. The blockade didn’t affect him if he didn’t want it to, and he delighted in contradicting the dictates of the military command. He flipped the page of the newspaper. The articles on the war and upcoming peace conference showed hope and skepticism in equal measure, accompanied by a dispassionate recounting of the steady losses of Lucian territory at the hands of Niflheimians. _ The Lucians excel at controlling their fear _. He set aside the paper and took another sip of coffee. His gaze wandered over the restaurant’s patrons. Families gathered for breakfast before a day on the beach, eager to cavort in the sand and shallows. Men and women pored over local maps as they tried to decide where to fish without drawing the attention of the warships blockading the bay. A few well-dressed executives chatted on their cell phones, taking notes and issuing orders in the frenzy of planning that had accompanied the peace treaty’s announcement.

Ardyn snorted. _ Or perhaps not. Control requires admission. _ A series of taps and clicks drew his attention, and he watched appreciably as the chef expertly gutted and cleaned fish for customers’ orders. His gaze flowed to the soft undulations of the ocean waves. Above them loomed the island of Angelgard, the site of so much suffering and deceit. _ Such a waste. All of their lives are based on a lie. _ His smirk vanished, replaced by a frown. His grip on the mug’s handle tightened and the porcelain squeaked in protest from the strain. _ All of it based on lies. The lies of illegitimate kings, rulers of a realm already in ruin, just waiting to fall. The lies of imperial strength, stolen from beings they understand in the basest of terms. The lie of a lasting peace built on a foundation of blood, honor, and fatigue _ . The handle groaned, then sighed as he relaxed his grip. _ All of it made possible by you, brother. Your lie underpins their world _ . The familiar pattern of thoughts flowed through his mind and then left just as quickly, like a flash flood roaring through the canyons carved by past rivers. For a moment the darkness within him surged, its victims’ cries drowned out by the Starscourge’s call for more. For everything. _ Soon _ , he cooed, and the darkness subsided a little. Niflheim and Lucis were both delicate assemblages in the face of the Starscourge’s own truth. Ardyn would have his revenge, first on the usurpers, then on that arrogant scientist and puppet of an emperor, then on the gods themselves. He would rip away the curtains and tear the scaffolding behind their lives apart to lay bare the hollow nature of their world for them to see. Their lies would give way to that truth, the only truth, _ his _ truth - that the darkness eventually came for everyone, always.

A glint of light suddenly caught his eye. He turned in time to see a luxurious black car wind its way into the parking lot. Four young men exited the car and began making their way onto the pier. Ardyn smiled to himself. He rose from the table, leaving behind a generous tip and a note explaining that one bill was to go toward replacement of the mug. _ There’s no reason not to be civil, even at the end of the world _ . He sauntered over to the entrance as the attendant cheerfully greeted the travelers. He examined each of their faces, lingering on the young prince. _ Such the spitting image of young Somnus. How disgusting _ . Ardyn took a deep breath and began descending the steps. _ Showtime _.

  
The travelers ignored the strange man leaving the restaurant. _ Just as well _ . “I’m afraid you’re out of luck,” he called. The travelers halted. “Are we?” the young prince asked disdainfully. Ardyn gestured behind himself. “The boats bring you here?” he asked. “What about ‘em?” This came from one of the prince’s companions, a nervous and excitable-looking young man. Ardyn looked away, feigning earnest worry. “Well… they’ll not take you forth.” The large, muscle-bound bodyguard spoke next. “And what’s your story?” His tone clearly conveyed his suspicion. Ardyn shrugged, enjoying the deception. “I’m an impatient traveler, ready to turn ship.” He walked away, feeling their eyes follow his every move. “The ceasefire’s getting us nowhere.” _ Oh, but isn’t it just _ , he crowed. _ If only you knew, young usurper _ . He turned and flicked the present he had been saving all morning at them. The prince flinched, but his bodyguard coolly reached out to snatch the object. He opened his fist to present it to the young royal - a coin bearing the visage of an Oracle and a bloom of sylleblossoms on the other, the crest of Tenebrae. “What’s this? Some sort of souvenir?” The excitable one scurried over for a glance. “They make those?” he gasped. “What? No,” the prince stuttered, clearly taken aback by this turn of events. Ardyn’s soft-spoken delivery cut through the group’s confusion. “Consider it your allowance,” he smiled. He gestured grandly. The bodyguard, unimpressed, placed himself between the stranger and the prince. “Yeah? And who’s _ allowing _ us?” The threat in his voice was sharp; on any other person his imposing stature would have solicited an immediate apology. Ardyn was unimpressed. _ I’ve seen far worse than you, boy. I _ _ am _ _ worse _ . He spread his arms wide, bowed slightly, and turned to waltz away from his biggest lie yet. “A man of no consequence,” he rumbled. The young prince muttered something, but Ardyn ignored it. He had done what he had come to do; now it was time to return to Insomnia. _ The city _ _ will _ _ fall, and not even the gods will stop me this time _ . He turned to look at the distant island without slowing. The sight of the stark peaks set parts of his body to aching, scars that had long been sealed and covered over by the regenerative powers of the scourge making up his body. He looked away, teeth clenched behind his smirk. _ All in good time, and better for some than others _.


End file.
